The peculiar character of the epistle as the expressions of
Paul's heart in sight of the Church's failure and departure

The second epistle to Timothy has a very peculiar character. It
is the expression of his heart, who outside Palestine had, under
God, founded and built the assembly of God on earth, and it was
written in sight of its failure, and its departure from the
principles on which he had established it. God remained faithful;
His foundation was sure and immovable; but the work committed into
the hands of men was already enfeebled and decaying. The
consciousness of this state of things, which moreover betrayed
itself in the way in which the apostle himself was then forsaken,
oppressed his heart; and he pours it out into the bosom of his
faithful Timothy. By this means the Spirit instructs us in the
solemn truth, that the church has not kept its first estate, and
sets before us the ways of safety for those who seek God, and
desire to please Him, in such a state of things as this.

The apostle John's witness

The apostle John gives the history of the fall of the assembly
here below, and of its judgment, and that of the world
likewise. He also sets before us a life which, apart from all
questions of the assembly's condition, abides ever the same, which
renders us capable of enjoying God, and makes us resemble Him in
His nature and character.

Paul's painful experience that of all the servants of God;
man's failure; the sure foundation

As a witness John was to remain until the Lord came: but Paul
sees for himself the ruin of that which he had built and watched
over so faithfully. He had spent himself for the assembly,
accomplishing that which was behind of the sufferings of Christ;
and he had to see that which he had so much loved (which he had
cared for even as a mother cherishes her nursling which he had
planted as God's plant on the earth) grow feeble as to its
condition and testimony in the world, depart from the source of
strength, and become corrupt. What a painful experience! But it is
that of the servant of God in all ages and in all
dispensations. He sees indeed the power of God acting to plant the
testimony on earth, but he sees that men soon fail in it. The
house inhabited by the Holy Ghost becomes dilapidated and in
disorder. Nevertheless (and we love to repeat it with the apostle)
the sure foundation of the Lord abides for ever. Whatever may be
the condition of the whole company, the individual is always to
depart from all iniquity, and to maintain, by himself if need be,
the true testimony of the name of the Lord. This can never fail
the faithful soul.

The apostle's comfort when afflicted and forsaken

In view of the mixture and confusion which began to show itself
in the assembly, the apostle's comfort was founded on these two
principles, while remembering and joyfully availing himself of the
communion and faithfulness of some precious souls. He had such as
Timothy and Onesiphorus, amid the afflictions of the gospel and
the sorrow of being forsaken by so many who were seals to his
testimony before the Lord.